How can a customer add to their blog without owning Xara WD

[onthedot]

I have templates for blog formatting, but the customer won't have XARA nor want to learn it to add blog entries.

Is there anything built-in that would allow a customer to securely log in and add blog entries, then allow their website (the one I build for them) to display them?

Perhaps a 3rd party add on for Xara? I thought about making a Word Press add-on for just the blog, but it sort of defeats the purpose of using Xara. Thanks in advance!

Mike Grigsby
Xara Web Designer Premium v.17

[Acorn]

I have templates for blog formatting, but the customer won't have XARA nor want to learn it to add blog entries.

Is there anything built-in that would allow a customer to securely log in and add blog entries, then allow their website (the one I build for them) to display them?

Perhaps a 3rd party add on for Xara? I thought about making a Word Press add-on for just the blog, but it sort of defeats the purpose of using Xara. Thanks in advance!

Mike Grigsby
Xara Web Designer Premium v.17

Mike, I am currently experimenting with https://www.smallvictori.es.

The customer need a Dropbox account - a free one will be fine.
You get the customer to connect Dropbox to the SV app.
You prepare a Blog SV site and create a couple of MarkDown files as templates for the customer to use.
The customer simply drops a md blog file and other assets into the Dropbox app website area and it is automatically published.
All you need provide is an Embed a Website Placeholder in the main site linking to the SV site.

The customer does not need WordPress or a Xara Design Application.
The customer has total security over their Dropbox account and the SV account.

It has few limitations.
If you want a more graphical approach, blot cost $4/m but has a more graphical approach and bells and whistles.

Acorn

[Acorn]

Should have added, here is an online MD editor: https://dillinger.io.

When I am not connected to the Internet, I use my TiddlyWiki.

Acorn

[onthedot]

Thank you Acorn. Those are great resources, but I think they're still a bit too technical for my clients. Mike

[Acorn]

Thank you Acorn. Those are great resources, but I think they're still a bit too technical for my clients. Mike

You provide the md templates and a noddy guide to markdown formatting.
The customer saves the file into Dropbox.
Done.

As the designer, you do all the other heavy lifting.

If the customer has Google Docs, you could build a spreadsheet that took their input and you render that into a scrolling blog.

If the customer is that incapable then they send you an email and you recompose it for them (for ever).

There are simpler blogging sites out there...

Acorn

[onlye]

I use this blog script:

https://www.phpjabbers.com/stiva-blog-script/

You will need to create an external page to act as a container for the blog page, I use wysiwygwebbuilder.com

Create a single page with wysiwyg web builder with a header and footer that look like your existing xara site.
Put the blog script in that page.
Provide a link on your Xara site menu to the external page and a link from the external page back to Xara site.

Your customer will have an online dashboard to login and manage their blog. The customer side is very simple and easy to use.

Will take you about 47 minutes to setup a blog page for an existing Xara website customer.

Cost for the developer license that can be used on multiple sites in the future - Blog Script - $29 and WYSIWYG Web Builder - $59

[Egg Bramhill]

Thank you Acorn. Those are great resources, but I think they're still a bit too technical for my clients. Mike

Mike, then just use Google Drive. Create your file and select publish to web. Copy the link, create an iframe in Xara which loads the page.

All your client needs to do is enter GoogleDrive amend the content. The webpage is auto-updated within 2 to 5 minutes. They need do nothing else. Can't get any simpler than that.